“ is on the verge of breaking out big time on the world map.”

- Ian D’Agata Contributing Editor, Decanter Wine Columnist, Vinous Canada’s wine regions are primarily located between 41° and 50° North, similiar to many acclaimed wine regions in the world. Each distinct wine region has its own unique mesoclimate, soil ecology and topography, where vineyards thrive in soils rich in glacial deposits, benefiting from the moderating effects of nearby bodies of water. Canadian winemakers embrace and celebrate this regional diversity, striving to express the best qualities of their in each bottle. Pride of place and attention to detail is evident throughout the country’s wineries, showing why Canada’s cool climate are amongst the best in the world. O’CANADA Canada is a producer, but our grape wine history is centuries old. In fact, the planting of grapevines and winemaking in Canada dates back to the 1600s in , one of the first areas to cultivate grapes in North America. GROWING DEGREE DAYS Canada’s modern wine history is about 40 years old, and although small in scale by world standards, wine is a growing business in Canada with wineries sprouting up , Nova Scotia 1,000 wherever soil and climate permit the growing of productive vines. Grape wines are Eastern Townships, Québec 1,120 predominantly being produced in four provinces in the primary wine-growing regions Epernay, France () 1,050 of the in Southern and the Valley in Southern , along with smaller producing areas found in Québec and Nova Geisenheim, Germany 1,050 Scotia. Canada’s wine growing regions are comprised of approximately 30,000 acres , British Columbia 1,155 (12,140 Hectares) and 671 wineries, with British Columbia and Ontario accounting for Montérégie, Québec 1,190 98% of Canada’s premium wine production. Prince Edward County, Ontario 1,250 While perhaps best known internationally for its Icewine, Canada is home to a Beaune, France (Burgundy) 1,315 complete range of premium wines, including red, white and rosé table wines, sparkling Napa, California 1,450 wine, dessert and fortified wines. Niagara Peninsula, Ontario 1,500 Osoyoos, British Columbia 1,535

PRECIPITATION Average annual rainfall varies widely across the country, from a low of 295 mm in Central Okanagan, British Columbia, to 746 mm in Ontario’s Niagara Peninsula, to 1,100 mm in Southern Québec and 1,215 mm in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley. BEYOND COOL Canada is categorized as a ‘cool climate’ region, providing ideal growing conditions where grapes ripen slowly and uniformly, combining a fine balance between natural sugar and acidity levels, resulting in highly aromatic wines with lively, concentrated flavours. Canada’s cool nights and hot summer days (where temperatures can often exceed 30°C), allow for the perfect ripening of grapes in its wine growing regions.

50ºN

British Columbia, CANADA , CANADA Burgundy, FRANCE WASHINGTON AND OREGON Nova Scotia, CANADA ITALY SPAIN Ontario, CANADA Napa Valley, CALIFORNIA PORTUGAL

30ºN

2 / 3 VQA: TASTE THE PLACE in Canada proudly reflects its origin, resulting in distinct wines that provide a sense of place. Similar to France’s AOC and Italy’s DOC, the Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) system has been established in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia to designate Viticultural Areas, regional and sub-appellations, as well as to evaluate eligible wines.

VQA Ontario and the Authority are the provincial governments’ official regulators, authorized to respectively oversee and enforce Ontario’s VQA and British Columbia’s BC VQA regulations and standards. Laboratory testing and tasting by an independent expert panel, as well as comprehensive label reviews, ensure precise adherence to rigorous winemaking standards and label integrity. Wines that are approved by the regulating authority WINES OF CANADA must clearly state the appellation of origin on the label, providing consumer assurance of a wine’s origin, as well as quality production, varietal content and vintage date.

WHAT’S IN THE BOTTLE? Look for the appellation on the label of approved wines:

Ontario VQA wine labels: “VQA VQA” British Columbia VQA wine label: “BC VQA ” 2015 VQA NIAGARA PENINSULA VQA VQA NIAGARA PENINSULA VQA BC VQA OKANAGAN VALLEY TOURISM Wine tourism is a growing and important part of Canada’s tourism industry, attracting 3 million annual visitors. Canadian wine regions are considered world- class for their exquisite wines, hospitality and natural beauty, and cater to both national and international visitors. With Canada’s award-winning wines, local cuisine and beautiful geographical landscapes, travellers are able to find high quality authentic experiences in all wine regions across the country.

To support the growth of wine tourism across Canada’s major wine regions, Wine411.ca, a national online winery directory was launched in 2015. Provincial resources also provide excellent trip-planning tools, including the Wines of British Columbia’s Trip Planner and Wine Country Ontario’s Travel Guide, Map and Mobile App.

Explore Canadian Wineries

SUSTAINABILITY The Canadian wine industry is proud of its leadership in sustainable practices, driven to continuously improve the quality of wine growing and winemaking in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. While each winery is unique, all Canadian wineries and vineyards are proud of their environmental practices, from certified biodynamic and organic vineyards, to LEED-certified winery facilities, to habitat protection for threatened species. Additionally, sustainability extends to employees and the greater community, providing safe and fair work environments, and generous support for local charities and causes.

4 / 5 ICEWINE Canada is renowned for its premium Icewine, where winter’s freezing temperatures concentrate the sugar, acid and berry extracts in the grape, resulting in sweet concentrated flavours, and smooth, elegant wines. ICEWINE REGULATIONS Canada is the leading global producer of Icewine, with an average annual production of one million litres produced across the country, primarily from Vidal, and In 2014, a Canadian government standard Cabernet Franc grapes. First commercially produced in 1978 at Hainle Vineyards requiring Icewine to be made exclusively Estate Winery in British Columbia, it was Ontario’s winery that brought from grapes naturally frozen on the vine international attention to Canada’s Icewine, winning the coveted Prix d’honneur at was passed into federal law. This standard Vinexpo in Bordeaux in 1991. Canadian winemakers continue to excel in producing is consistent with international standards, Icewine with highly concentrated flavours, which have consistently been awarded gold requiring authentic Icewine grapes be medals from the most prestigious international wine competitions. harvested while the air temperature is -8°C or lower with the frozen grapes immediately The higher prices commanded by Icewine pressed after picking in a continuous process. reflect the precarious nature of its production, as the fruit left on the vine after the normal fall harvest is vulnerable to rot, harsh winds, hail and hungry birds and animals. The yield from Icewine grapes is also much lower than with table wines; a mere 10-15% of an average table wine harvest.

Icewine should be chilled in an ice bucket for 15 minutes or refrigerated for two hours before serving in a white wine glass. It can be sipped and appreciated on its own, as a dessert or with savoury or spicy food. Icewine also makes a great addition to or cocktails. Once opened, re-sealed Icewine will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks. SPARKLING WINES While there is a range of production styles, the best known Canadian sparkling wines are made in the Traditional Method, spending one to four years on their lees before disgorging. Méthode Cuve Close (Charmat) is also used by the country’s winemakers.

Most sparkling wines are made from the traditional Champagne grape varieties “Canadian sparkling and , with some Pinot Meunier. Riesling, Noir and wine was a revelation.” other varieties can also be found in the production of Canadian sparkling wine. Grapes for sparkling wine are most commonly hand-picked, optimizing sugar levels, – Oz Clarke, while enhancing the naturally-occurring high acidity, resulting in a strong aromatic wine writer concentration in the wine.

Compared to international styles, BC Sparkling wines generally fall somewhere in between the austere and lees flavoured wines of Champagne and the riper, fruitier Traditional Method sparkling wines of Cava in Spain or those of California or Australia.

Bubbly is rapidly rising to the top as a key strength of Ontario winemaking. A cool climate and limestone-based soils, plus Ontario’s proficiency with the Champagne grapes – Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – add up to exactly the right recipe for fine aged sparkling made in the Traditional Method. Those looking for fresh and fruity Charmat method sparkling will find them made with Ontario’s high acid aromatic grapes like Riesling and .

Nova Scotia’s sparkling wines are influenced by cool, ever present, ocean breezes and powerful, year-round tidal shifts, resulting in distinctive Traditional Method sparkling wines. Remarkably similar to Champagne, Nova Scotia’s climate offers two further growing advantages – naturally low crop levels and an elongated growing season, ensuring sparklings of great distinction and longevity. 6 / 7 BRITISH COLUMBIA

QUÉBEC Vancouver ONTARIO NOVA SCOTIA Halifax CANADIAN WINE REGIONS Toronto BRITISH COLUMBIA KEY NUMBERS • 48°- 51°N, Acres: 10,260 (4,152 Hectares) • 260 wineries • , Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Riesling, , Pinot Noir, ,

ONTARIO • 41°- 44°N, Acres 17,000 (6,900 Hectares) • 164 VQA wineries • Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir

QUÉBEC • 45°- 47°N, Acres 2,000 (808 Hectares) • 138 wineries • Riesling, Chardonnay, Vidal, Seyval, Cabernet Franc, , Pinot Noir and Gamay Noir

NOVA SCOTIA • 44°- 46°N, Acres 800 (323 Hectares) • 20 wineries • Chardonnay, Vidal, L’Acadie Blanc, Pinot Noir, and VANCOUVER BRITISH COLUMBIA ISLAND Acres: 390 / Wineries: 36 Though the first vines were planted in British Columbia by Father Charles Pandosy in 1859, the stage Varieties: Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, for BC to become a premium winemaking region was set thousands of years earlier when a series Ortega & Marechal Foch of significant geographical events—primarily glacial deposits and erosion—led to the diverse bedrock, landforms and soils that make this wine region so unique. Acres: 95 / Wineries: 13 There are five Viticultural Areas in the province: , Gulf Islands, , Varieties: Pinot Noir, Pinot Similkameen Valley and the Okanagan Valley. Boasting nearly 82% of the total vineyard acreage Gris, Ortega & Marechal Foch in the province with 8,619 acres planted, the Okanagan Valley is BC’s premier grape growing FRASER VALLEY region. An ever-changing panorama, the Valley stretches over 250 kilometers across numerous Acres: 200 / Wineries: 17 sub-regions, each with different soil and climate conditions suited to a growing range of varietals. Varieties: Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris Cooler climate varieties like Riesling, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir thrive in the North & Siegerrebe Okanagan, while the South Okanagan provides ideal conditions for ripening Merlot, Cabernet SIMILKAMEEN Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Syrah/Shiraz. The Okanagan Valley is also home to British VALLEY Columbia’s first sub-appellation, the Golden Acres: 657 / Wineries: 16 Mile Bench where 791 acres of vineyards Varieties: Merlot, Cabernet are sited on an alluvial fan that was Sauvignon/Franc & Chardonnay deposited during the last glacial episode. OKANAGAN VALLEY Although the modern winemaking industry Acres: 8,619 / Wineries: 165 is still young by world standards, the Varieties: Merlot, Pinot Gris, growth of the wine industry in British Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Columbia has been exponential over the Riesling & Syrah past 25 years. In 1990 there were just 17 wineries in British Columbia; today, there are over 260 wineries, welcoming 800,000 winery visitors each year. “For me, wine is the three P’s: the place, the people and the product. British Columbia ticks all three boxes with exuberance, elegance and conviction.”

– Steven Spurrier, wine writer

10 / 11 NIAGARA ONTARIO PENINSULA Acres: 14,600 Neither old world nor new, Ontario’s globally acclaimed wines are founded on its unique glacial Wineries: 93 soils and growing season. Ontario can trace its wine roots back to the early 1800s, where its Varieties: Riesling, topography, soil structure and climate were recognized for its potential to become a fine wine Chardonnay, zone. Situated between 41°and 44° North, Ontario’s wine growing areas benefit from the same Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir latitude as Northern Italy and many other cool climate wine regions of Europe. Wine regions in & Gamay Noir the province further benefit from proximity to three of the five of North America, which moderate the extremes of the region’s continental climate.

LAKE ERIE There are three Viticultural Areas in the province: Lake NORTH SHORE Erie North Shore, Niagara Peninsula and Prince Edward Acres: 1,100 County. The Niagara Peninsula has the largest planted Wineries: 15 area of all viticultural areas in Canada with 14,600 Varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Franc acres, characterized by rich, fertile soils and unique & Cabernet Sauvignon mesoclimates. The Niagara Peninsula has two regional appellations and 10 sub-appellations, established in 2005, offering unique conditions. The Niagara PRINCE EDWARD Escarpment is a combination of the smaller appellations COUNTY of Short Hills Bench, Twenty Mile Bench and Beamsville Acres: 800 Bench. Niagara-on-the-Lake is made up of , Niagara Lakeshore, Four Mile Creek Wineries: 30 and St. David’s Bench. The remaining three sub-appellations are Creek Shores, Lincoln Lakeshore Varieties: Pinot Noir, and Vinemount Ridge. In 2015, the South Islands were identified as the first sub-appellation of Chardonnay, Pinot Gris & Cabernet Franc North Shore. Since the 1970s, Ontario has grown steadily in acreage and wineries, earning international accolades for its fine wines. Today, there are 164 VQA wineries, which welcome more than 2 million winery visitors each year. “Ontario wines are the epitome of cool climate, which puts them right on the cutting edge. I’m anxious to taste the latest, as quality keeps surging, seemingly with every new vintage.”

- Matt Kramer, Contributing Editor, Wine Spectator Magazine

12 / 13 QUÉBEC QUÉBEC Acres: 2,000 Wineries: 138 With over 800 hectares of vine, Québec’s wine industry is an emerging success story in Canada. Varieties: Riesling, Grapes have been cultivated in the province for centuries, but it’s only in the past two decades Chardonnay, Vidal, that the wine industry has really taken off. Québec’s cool–and at times severe climate–poses a Seyval, Cabernet Franc, challenge to viticulturalists, but has not prevented the industry from thriving. Frontenac, Pinot Noir & Gamay Noir The province has five main growing areas: Eastern Townships, Montérégie, Ouest-du-Québec, Est-du-Québec and Centre-du-Québec. Due to the severe winters, Québec grape growers have focused on cold hardy hybrids suitable to the climate, although plantings of vinifera are increasing.

Québec wineries welcome over 200,000 visitors annually, evidence of the strong wine and culinary culture of la belle province. NOVA SCOTIA Nova Scotia’s soil and mesoclimates produce some of the most distinctive premium-quality grapes in the world in this unique maritime growing region. The small cool climate region is making its mark specializing in traditional method sparkling wine and a crisp, aromatic white blend, known NOVA SCOTIA as Tidal Bay. The Tidal Bay designation ensures that all wines must be made from specific 100% Acres: 800 Nova Scotia grown grape varieties, following a strict set of standards and annually approved by Wineries: 20 an independent blind tasting panel. Varieties: Chardonnay, Vidal, L’Acadie Blanc, Pinot Noir, The province has six main growing areas: Avon River Valley, Malagash Peninsula, LaHave River Baco Noir & Marechal Foch Valley, Bear River Valley and the Annapolis Valley. The latter is the largest region and includes the Gaspereau Valley, a small offshoot at the eastern end of the Annapolis Valley set between two parallel mountain ranges along the shore of the Bay of Fundy.

The Canadian Maritimes are famous for their generous hospitality and Nova Scotia’s wineries are shining examples of this, proudly welcoming over 100,000 visitors annually. “The wine industry in Québec is exploding!”

- Jessica Harnois, Sommelière and President of Vins au Féminin

“We are embarking on the Golden Age of .”

-Tony Aspler, wine writer

14 / 15 LEARN MORE

BRITISH ONTARIO QUÉBEC NOVA COLUMBIA SCOTIA The Wine Marketing Vignerons indépendants The British Columbia Association of Ontario du Québec (VIQ) was The Winery Association Wine Institute (BCWI) (WMAO) is dedicated to formed in 2006 by a of Nova Scotia (WANS) represents all wineries in promoting and marketing group of winegrowers and was formed in 2002 and British Columbia. It actively the VQA Wines of Ontario winemakers to bring together works to build awareness of promotes the Wines of and Ontario’s wine-growing the producers of the regions Nova Scotia Wine Country, British Columbia nationally regions—from the wines and of Québec and promote the expanding markets and and internationally, giving wineries themselves, to the sharing of expertise. serving as a voice for local guests the chance to discover complete experience of each viquebec.com industry. their world class wines and destination: local cuisine, year- winesofnovascotia.ca beautiful wine regions year- round activities and warm round for a one-of-a-kind hospitality. winery experience. winecountryontario.ca winebc.com winebc.org Funding for this project has been provided by the Canadian Vintners Association (CVA), along with Agriculture and Agri-food Canada’s AgriMarketing program through Growing Forward 2, a federal-provincial initiative. CVA is the national association of the Canadian wine industry representing grape-based wineries across Canada responsible for more than 90% of annual wine production. CVA is responsible for the trademark protection of Wines of Canada, Vintners Quality Assurance (VQA) and Icewine. Learn more at www.canadianvintners.com Canada’s wine regions are primarily located between 41° and 50° North, similiar to many acclaimed wine regions in the world. Each distinct wine region has its own unique mesoclimate, soil ecology and topography, where vineyards thrive in soils rich in glacial deposits, benefiting from the moderating effects of nearby bodies of water. Canadian winemakers embrace and celebrate this regional diversity, striving to express the best qualities of their appellation in each bottle. Pride of place and attention to detail is evident throughout the country’s wineries, showing why Canada’s cool climate wines are amongst the best in the world.

www.winesofcanada.ca